Process of removing water from peat.



' PATENTBD OCT. 18, 1904.

B. KITTLER. PROCESS OF REMOVING WATER FROM PEAT.

APPLIGATION FILED-TUNE 17. 1904.

N0 MODEL.

' ative pole, while the cold-producing and ments in Processes of Removing Water from 77?, that are supported upon a brick founda- Patented October 18, 1904.

PATENT OFFICE.

BERNI-IARD KITTLER, MEMEL, GERMANY.

PROCESS OF REMOVING WAT R FROM P'EAT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No 772,891, dated October 18, 1904.

Original application filed March 19, 1904,

T0 on whom it nayconcermy I Be it known that I, BERNHARD KITTLER, a

citizen of Germany, residing at Memel, Germany, have invented new and useful Improve Peat, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to an improved process for continuously removing water from peat by the combined action of an electric current, hot air, and a vacuum. 7

As heretofore practiced'it was-not feasible to remove the water from peat when the thickness of the latter exceeded five centimeters. The utility of the product so obtained is, however, limited, and, further, as but a comparatively small quantity of water could be removed it was not possible to remove cold' producing by-products, such as ammonia- By my invention large quantities of peat may be treated,and the cold-producing constituents may be removed.

In carrying myinvention into. effect the peat is agitated and subjected jointly to an electric current and to heat. In this way the water is moved from the positive to the negthe water-combining constituents are liberated. The action of the heat in combination with the electric current is considerably intensified by rarefying the air within the apparatus. By the means described a thorough and uniform discharge of the water is obtained, such water carrying away with it all the cold producing chemical constituents which are separated by means of the heat and from which useful by-products may subsequently be obtained. To carry out the invention in a practical manner and to prevent incrustation at the positive pole, the latter is brought constantly into intimate contact with fresh particles of peat. .In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 i a vertical section, partly in elevation, of an apparatus for carrying my invention into effect; and Fig. 2 is a cross-section on line AB, Fig. l.

The apparatus consists of an outer casing or container (0, provided with feet or brackets Serial No. 198,893. Divided and this application filed June 1'7, 1904. $erial No. 212,949. (No specimens.)

tion. Within the casing a is fitted a cylindrical strainerc of such dimensions as to form an intervening annular chamber 6. The top and bottom of casing to are adapted to be closed by covers d d. To the upper cover d isconnected the inlet-pipe c' for the peat, while the lower cover cl' has a discharge pipe or opening Z and a step-bearing r. The pipe Z may be closed by a lid 70.

Througlra stufling-boX sof cover (Z projects into casing a a central hollow shaft 6,

which is embraced by a tubular sleeve g, carand passes thence through ports 0, arms 9,

and strainers q to the interior of the casing a. The shaft 6, driven from a pulley h or otherwise, is in electric connection, by means of a brush t or the like, with the positive pole of -a source of electricity, while the cylindrical strainer c'is connected at c to the negative pole of the same circuit. The covers (Z (Z are made of insulating material, so as to insulate shaft e from strainer c. has a nipple n communicating with chamber & and connected to a vacuum-pump. (Not shown.)

When the discharge-pipe Z has been closed The casing to by the lid 76, the apparatus is filled with peat through pipe c', and the agitators are caused to rotate. Simultaneously the tubular shaft 6 is supplied with hot air, and the vacuumpump is started. The action of the pump produces a' difference in pressure between the interior f of the strainer and the annular chamber 5. Consequently the hot air will pass through the peat, and the electric current passing through the agitator-arms Q will come simultaneously into contact with all the particles of the peat. Thus the. current and I v the heated air act together upon every particle of the peat, while the partial vacuum in chamber 6 will cause a constant discharge of Water, together with the chemical constituent-s in solution, through the strainer 0 into the chamber 6, from whence the liquid is sucked by the action of the pump through nipple n. The helical arrangement of the agitator-arms 9 causes the peat to descend, so that a compact mass of peat will be supported upon the bottom of the casing and will fill the discharge-pipe Z. After the peat has attained a certain density the lid Z; is opened to discharge the finished product, while fresh peat is continued to be introduced through pipe z'. The lower strata of the peat are of such density that air will not enter through the open pipe Z. The only air that enters is that which has been previously heated and which operates upon the peat mechanically, as well as by its heat.

With my process individual particles of peat cannot remain in contact with the poles, as they are kept in constant motion, so that an energetic operation is insured. The current passes from the rotatory agitators and radiates through the peat toward the cylindrical strainer, so that by these means incrustation at the positive pole and short-circuiting is prevented.

By my invention 1 am enabled to treat large quantities oi peat, and I obtain a superior product, because the cold-prmlucing constituents are removed, while, furthermore, any

values present may be recovered from the li 1- rent, a vacuum and hot air, substantially as specified.

Signed by me at Konigsberg this (3th day of June, 1904:.

BEhNllrUtl) K ll"ll1l ll\.. \Vitnesses:

M. Hauuiin, A. BUSOKL. 

